Kinetics of angiopoietin-2 in serum of multi-trauma patients: correlation with patient severity.
BACKGROUND
Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) is considered a proinflammatory mediator promoting vascular leakage. Its participation in the inflammatory process following multiple injuries was investigated.


METHODS
Blood was sampled on consecutive days from 54 patients with multiple injuries and six healthy volunteers. Ang-2 was estimated in serum by an enzyme immunoassay.


RESULTS
From the enrolled patients, 10 did not develop any complication; 17 developed systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS); 16 developed sepsis and 11 severe sepsis. Among those who did not develop any complication, all survived. Ang-2 was increased on days 4 and 7 of follow-up in patients with SIRS. Ang-2 was highly increased upon advent of sepsis and of severe sepsis. Patients with serum levels below 15,200 pg/ml survived longer compared to those with levels above 15,200 pg/ml (p=0.015). OR for death with serum Ang-2 above 15,200 pg/ml was 4.00 (p=0.037).


CONCLUSIONS
Serum levels of Ang-2 in multi-trauma patients are increased upon advent of septic complications and they are connected with bad prognosis. Its exact role in the process of multiple trauma remains to be defined.
Giamarellos-Bourboulis
Evangelos J
EJ
4th Department of Internal Medicine, ATTIKON University General Hospital, University of Athens, Medical School, 1 Rimini Street, 124 62 Athens, Greece. giamarel@ath.forthnet.gr
Kanellakopoulou
Kyriaki
K
Pelekanou
Aimilia
A
Tsaganos
Thomas
T
Kotzampassi
Katerina
K
D042702:Angiopoietin-2 / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000097:blood; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D011379:Prognosis; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000097:blood; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D015996:Survival Rate; D018746:Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / Q000097:blood; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices
D042702:Angiopoietin-2